Who Says the Blessing in Christmas Vacation?

By Michael Ferguson

Christmas Vacation is a classic holiday movie that many families enjoy watching year after year. One of the most memorable scenes in the movie is when the Griswold family sits down to enjoy their Christmas dinner and Clark Griswold, played by Chevy Chase, attempts to say a blessing before they eat. However, he stumbles over his words and ends up reciting the Pledge of Allegiance instead.

But who was supposed to say the blessing in the first place? Was it Clark’s responsibility as the head of the household? Or should it have been someone else?

The answer to this question is not explicitly stated in the movie, but there are a few clues that can help us figure it out. Let’s take a closer look.

First of all, we know that Clark’s wife Ellen, played by Beverly D’Angelo, is a devout Christian. In one scene, she is shown reading from a book of prayers and meditations before bed. It seems likely that she would be the one to say grace before dinner.

However, there are also hints that Clark himself may have been expected to lead the prayer. In another scene earlier in the movie, he attempts to read “The Night Before Christmas” to his children but struggles with some of the words.

His wife suggests that he let someone else read it instead, saying “Why don’t you let Rusty read it?” This implies that Ellen sees Clark as someone who should be taking on these traditional roles as head of the household.

So who ultimately should have said grace? It’s possible that either Clark or Ellen could have taken on this responsibility depending on their personal beliefs and family traditions.

Regardless of who says grace in your own family during holiday meals, it’s important to remember the true meaning behind these traditions and take a moment to reflect on all that we have to be thankful for during this special time of year.

In conclusion, while we may never know for sure who was supposed to say grace in Christmas Vacation, we can appreciate the humor and heartwarming moments that make this movie a beloved holiday classic.